Digital Transformation in Aerospace: The Strategic Role of Jigs & Tools in Integrated Production Processes

The aerospace industry is facing increasing challenges: accelerate production rates, pressure on MRO capabilities and ever-increase demands on quality, safety and certification. In this context, Jigs & Tools are becoming strategically important. They are no longer just ancillary means, but real key elements to ensure efficient, repeatable and auditable processes.

Why Jigs & Tools have become a strategic issue 

In highly regulated environments such as aerospace, tools have a direct impact on process stability, quality of operations, and production times. They are the interface between engineering and operational implementation, thus becoming a critical factor in the success of industrialization.

At the same time, current developments are profoundly changing the requirements for tooling solutions:

• Increasing pressure on production and MRO capacities, in a context of limited resources;
• A growing complexity of aircraft engines and a multiplication of variants;
• The need to reduce costs while maintaining high levels of quality requirements;
• Digitalization and automation, which gradually transform tools into data sources and integrated components of connected industrial processes.

These various factors show that conventional tool solutions, designed in isolation, are gradually reaching their limits. Manufacturers must now favor integrated approaches, capable of meeting the challenges of flexibility, performance and traceability of modern production environments.

The main challenges encountered in practice

Many companies in the aerospace industry face similar challenges when it comes to managing their tooling solutions:

• A high number of specialized tools leads to increased investment, storage and maintenance costs;
• Siloes in information flows and a lack of integration between systems generate less efficient processes and an increase in manual operations;
• Long set-up times and complex handling operations reduce team productivity;
• Insufficient standardization complicates production changeovers and increases training requirements.

These various challenges demonstrate an essential evolution: performance no longer depends solely on the tool itself, but on its ability to be intelligently integrated into the entire industrial process.

From isolated tooling to integrated systems 

Modern approaches to tooling respond precisely to these new challenges:

• Combined and multifunctional tools reduce the number of variants needed and simplify equipment management;
• Integration of sensors and data collection solutions helps monitor key process parameters and ensure full traceability of operations;
• Lean approaches and end-to-end integration improve efficiency across the entire value chain;
• The modernisation (retrofit) and optimisation of existing tool fleets is becoming increasingly important.

Tools are therefore no longer considered as simple isolated equipment. They are becoming integrated components of industrial systems, capable of actively contributing to the management and optimization of digitalized production processes.

Use case: Reduce complexity and costs with combined tools

In a typical situation, several specialized tools are used to perform similar operations on different types of aircraft engines. This organization leads to increased preparation times, more complex inventory management, and increased costs associated with equipment investments and maintenance.

The development of a combined tool that integrates several functions and can be used for different variants significantly reduces operational complexity. This approach helps lower capital and storage costs, while improving the flexibility of production environments.

At the same time, the reduction in the number of tool changes significantly shortens set-up times. The teams benefit from smoother processes, better equipment availability and an increased ability to respond to changes in industrial programs.

Use case: Automation for efficient and reliable processes

Manual assembly and disassembly operations are often time-consuming, complex and error-sensitive. In this context, the use of specialized automated or semi-automated equipment, combined with digital data collection solutions, makes it possible to achieve significant gains in industrial performance.

These technologies help standardize operations, improve their repeatability and strengthen the control of critical parameters throughout the process.

The results are multiple: reduction of cycle times, reduction of scrap rates, improvement of the safety of operations and strengthening of traceability. This means that manufacturers benefit from more reliable, transparent processes that are better adapted to the growing demands of the aerospace industry.

A global approach as a key success factor 

Sustainable improvement in industrial performance requires a structured and holistic approach. It is based in particular on:

• Analysis of existing processes and data available directly on site;
• Identification of optimization potentials along the entire value chain;
• The development of process-optimized tooling that is tailored to manufacturing requirements;
• Integration of tools and different process steps to improve overall efficiency;
• Full support for the design, manufacturing, validation and integration phases.

Only an approach that combines tooling evolution and process optimization can generate sustainable efficiency gains and meet the future challenges of the aerospace industry.

Integrating tooling, engineering and industrial processes with Akkodis

Akkodis has recognized expertise in the development and implementation of specialized tooling for the aeronautical industry. With more than 1,000 solutions for different types of aircraft engines as well as for Ground Support Equipment (GSE), the company combines engineering skills with in-depth knowledge of operational constraints.

Its approach combines:

• Engineering, including design, reverse engineering and adaptation to standards and regulatory requirements;
• The development and manufacture of tooling adapted to the specific needs of industrial environments;
• Support for manufacturers through process and production consulting.

Akkodis thus carries out end-to-end projects, from the optimization of existing production environments to the implementation of new MRO sites. This approach is complemented by expertise in digitalization, automation and integration of industrial processes.

By combining technical mastery, understanding of field operations and the ability to integrate new technologies, Akkodis supports aeronautics players in the transformation of their industrial environments.

Tooling, a strategic lever for the aeronautics industry 

Jigs & Tools are gradually evolving from a role of simple operational means to that of essential components of modern production and MRO processes in aeronautics. Their maximum added value becomes apparent when tools are seamlessly integrated into comprehensive processes, connecting engineering requirements, production operations and data exploitation.

The future is based in particular on:

• Intelligent and data-driven tools;
• Flexible and standardized solutions capable of adapting to industrial developments;
• Integrated tooling concepts connecting engineering, production and data.

Companies that take a holistic view of their tooling and processes are not only looking for immediate efficiencies. They sustainably strengthen the quality, flexibility and competitiveness of their production and maintenance activities.

In a constantly changing aeronautical context, Jigs & Tools are becoming a real strategic lever for building more efficient, more connected and more agile industrial environments.